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Leather Cases - Patina Proud Photos
- Thread starter JamiLynee
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I do hope you keep this thread updated with your wear pictures over time. This looks amazing. Curious how it ages.
Thanks!
Two months old umbra and week old orange.
Looking at that RL case.
I am convinced that these are the same cases as I and some others have ordered off Ali Express for £20 and RL have just branded them up.
I just use wet microfiber and give it a good wipe all around. Doesn’t seem to hurt the “pleather”.
For my full grain leathers I just started to use this coach leather cleaner and moisturizer I’ve had for a while and it works great.
Looks really nice! Is this natural or forced patina? If forced, what technique did you use?
I had that case on my 12 mini. It only darkened slightly over 6 months but it did develop a nice shine. I liked it.
The second picture makes it look like there’s a nice darkening across the vertical center. I’d be worried if there was much more than that after just eight days.
Give it a couple of months and I think you’ll be happy with it.
Two months old umbra and week old orange.
I really want that orange Apple leather but they do not wear very well from what I have seen.
Lifelong silicone case user here finally giving leather a shot.
I got a lot of wonderful suggestions in this thread for my iPhone 11 but I was looking for something cost-effective so I could get a feel for leather cases in general before dropping $70-100 on one. Also, since the 11 is an old model most good companies don't even make cases for it anymore, so my options were already limited.
That's when I found Nomad who were having a pretty heavy clearance sale for their old Rugged Cases. A few people here (understandably so) recommended against it due to these cases having TPU sides. However, since this is my first time and I was also getting this Horween Leather case for $20, I just went for it. Not too much of a loss even if it did turn out to be a dud.
It's just been 2 days so far and thankfully, I'm really really happy with the purchase. I took these photos in relatively dull natural lighting to give you all a more accurate representation of what the case looks like.
The leather feels & smells incredible right out the box with a gorgeous deep brown colour that is very even throughout the back surface. The leather in its unused state is not as slippery as I was expecting, which is a good thing as it already feels secure in the hand. What impresses me the most about the case is how it feels so plush and substantive while simultaneously not adding any real bulk to the phone at all. I've had cheap plastic & TPU cases in the past that were way chunkier than this.
Speaking of TPU – the sides on this case, though not leather, still feel well done. The material is very smooth to the touch and meets the leather on the back seamlessly. It'll definitely provide really hefty protection on the front, sides and corners, which is always welcome. The click action on the power/volume buttons is also very crisp & satisfying. The way Nomad decided to use TPU seems like a very pragmatic decision to increase drop protection rather than a simple cost-cutting measure, which is what I was initially worried about.
Lastly, the packaging itself is also great. The case came in a sturdy recyclable box whose front flap snaps shut magnetically. Nomad also threw in a branded sticker inside which was a nice gesture.
Overall, while I wouldn't have bought this at its retail price, for $20 I'm pretty delighted. Really looking forward to using this case daily and seeing how it ages!
I got a lot of wonderful suggestions in this thread for my iPhone 11 but I was looking for something cost-effective so I could get a feel for leather cases in general before dropping $70-100 on one. Also, since the 11 is an old model most good companies don't even make cases for it anymore, so my options were already limited.
That's when I found Nomad who were having a pretty heavy clearance sale for their old Rugged Cases. A few people here (understandably so) recommended against it due to these cases having TPU sides. However, since this is my first time and I was also getting this Horween Leather case for $20, I just went for it. Not too much of a loss even if it did turn out to be a dud.
It's just been 2 days so far and thankfully, I'm really really happy with the purchase. I took these photos in relatively dull natural lighting to give you all a more accurate representation of what the case looks like.
The leather feels & smells incredible right out the box with a gorgeous deep brown colour that is very even throughout the back surface. The leather in its unused state is not as slippery as I was expecting, which is a good thing as it already feels secure in the hand. What impresses me the most about the case is how it feels so plush and substantive while simultaneously not adding any real bulk to the phone at all. I've had cheap plastic & TPU cases in the past that were way chunkier than this.
Speaking of TPU – the sides on this case, though not leather, still feel well done. The material is very smooth to the touch and meets the leather on the back seamlessly. It'll definitely provide really hefty protection on the front, sides and corners, which is always welcome. The click action on the power/volume buttons is also very crisp & satisfying. The way Nomad decided to use TPU seems like a very pragmatic decision to increase drop protection rather than a simple cost-cutting measure, which is what I was initially worried about.
Lastly, the packaging itself is also great. The case came in a sturdy recyclable box whose front flap snaps shut magnetically. Nomad also threw in a branded sticker inside which was a nice gesture.
Overall, while I wouldn't have bought this at its retail price, for $20 I'm pretty delighted. Really looking forward to using this case daily and seeing how it ages!
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What are your thoughts on the Ryan London? Do you like it as much as the Bullstrap?
I would say they are nearly identical, aside from these minor differences:
- the Bullstrap case is much snugger when putting it on (this could be due to the age of the Ryan London)
- the buttons on the Bullstrap are “loose” when the case is not on, which is not true for the Ryan London (one putting bullstrap on, they feel snug and tactile)
Otherwise they feel the same/same leather quality IMO
the leather on the RL is completely different than on the cretanbull though, and the cases are identical besides that. i think it's much more likely a mold is being shared than these companies buying in bulk from a manufacturer and adding their logos to it.
As much as I like the RL cases, but at least the ones I’ve gotten have a lot of manufacture defects. Such as camera cutout imprints and straight vertical lines that run down the case
BullStrap leather seems different this year even after the replacement. They feel more supple then previous years and have a thinner dye coating and the leather is not as dry. Overall despite the disastrous launch they had I’m very pleased with the final results.
I know Apple cases don’t patina at all these these but the overall feel and fit feel amazing on them.
I think the worst case I’ve gotten this year is Clayton and Crume I had to get a refund on that overpriced junk not to mention the case color looks completely different in person.
BullStrap leather seems different this year even after the replacement. They feel more supple then previous years and have a thinner dye coating and the leather is not as dry. Overall despite the disastrous launch they had I’m very pleased with the final results.
I know Apple cases don’t patina at all these these but the overall feel and fit feel amazing on them.
I think the worst case I’ve gotten this year is Clayton and Crume I had to get a refund on that overpriced junk not to mention the case color looks completely different in person.
I couldn’t agree more. I used a Nomad case on my iPhone X and loved it, it actually saved me once from a drop down an entire flight of stairs. I then moved on to Apple cases for the last few years. This year I’m using a Nomad case in English Tan and I love it. I picked it up for only $45 with tax and shipping included. The buttons are fantastic, the patina is coming along beautifully. I’m extremely satisfied.
I'd like to know as well. Looks nice in photos -- also Horween leather with full border protection seems appealing.
$95 price not so much...
Color is way off from the advertisement and really bad quality control here’s what I received and had to send it back asap
Then I received a replacement and got he wrong size. So I just ended up sending everything back together not worth $95
That’s fantastic to hear. Do post some pics of your case when you get the time, would love to see how nicely it’s aging!
What a bummer..with that price it should much more better..luckily you save my money..🤣
Any time I've ordered from Bullstrap to Canada, it's been about $10-20 with USPS to Canada Post. However, there is usually duty once it arrives ranging from $25-$35 CAD.I would actually get the cloud bull strap case…except that they want $100 for shipping to Canada. There is no other shipping option available.
